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Building Compliance in Solihull
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Solihull housing and shared rental projects
The ONS Census 2021 account of Solihull records private renting at 12.8% of households in 2021, compared with 9.9% in 2011. For an owner improving a rented house, that housing context makes it useful to distinguish an energy upgrade from a change in how the building is occupied. Establish the proposed household arrangement before choosing the surveys for a conversion.
Solihull’s HMO licensing page describes the licensing threshold as five or more people from more than one household, regardless of storeys. It requires landlords and letting agents of those HMOs to hold a licence. Ask the council how the proposed occupancy fits its licensing process before finalising bedroom numbers or shared facilities. A licence application is not a substitute for checking planning and building regulations requirements.
The same Solihull HMO page links the fire safety and amenities guidance the council uses, while warning that guidance can vary with the HMO. Our fire risk assessments can help identify fire precautions for the actual layout and use. Provide room plans, occupancy details and existing fire safety records so the assessment addresses the proposed shared accommodation rather than an assumed standard house.
Solihull validation: noise evidence before submission
The council’s Local Validation Checklist page says its revised criteria took effect on 10 February 2020. The list usually applies to non-householder projects, but the council asks householders to check before submitting. Requirements should be proportionate to scale and complexity, and officers may ask for clarification later. Agree the assessment scope before commissioning a report rather than assuming every Solihull application needs the same pack.
For schemes caught by the noise criteria below, noise surveys establish the site conditions and acoustic design develops the response. Share the proposed uses, elevations and plant locations early. The council’s checklist asks for mitigation and insulation details, so a survey without a design response may leave questions unanswered.
| Solihull checklist item | Published trigger | Practical report scope |
|---|---|---|
| 26: Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment | All major residential developments and other developments that may disturb noise-sensitive uses. | Assess exposure and proposed emissions; explain mitigation and insulation. |
| 26: Mapped noise and industrial proximity | The checklist also identifies modelled noise within the 50-55 dBA contour and above, or locations within 250 metres of an industrial area. | Check the site against the council mapping and nearby uses before agreeing survey positions. |
Source: Source: Solihull Local Validation Criteria, January 2020, item 26.
Solihull Local Plan: carbon and water decisions
The Solihull Local Plan adoption page gives 3 December 2013 as the adoption date and explains that most of the plan remains adopted following the housing-related legal challenge. The current planning policy page lists the 2013 plan within the adopted development plan. It says the 2020 submission plan was withdrawn in October 2024 and work on a new 2026 to 2043 plan began in November 2025. Do not present the withdrawn plan as adopted policy.
Policy P9 in Solihull Local Plan: Shaping a Sustainable Future, December 2013 sets a sequential approach to carbon reduction. It considers decentralised energy and heating networks, then on-site measures where networks are not feasible or viable. It names Solihull, Shirley and Chelmsley Wood centres among locations with network potential. An energy statement should explain the options considered and the evidence behind the chosen approach, not simply list proposed equipment.
Policy P11 in the 2013 Local Plan asks developers to demonstrate water efficiency through fittings, appliances and, where appropriate, recycling. It also addresses drainage and sewerage capacity separately. Our water calculations can quantify the consumption associated with the specified fittings. They do not replace drainage design or evidence about sewer capacity. Keep those workstreams distinct when assembling a Solihull submission.
Services in Solihull
New homes and conversions
- Air tightness testing in Solihull
On-site testing that measures how much air leaks through a building's envelope, with a certificate for Building Control.
- Sound insulation testing in Solihull
Pre-completion testing of separating walls and floors between homes, reported in the form Building Control expects.
- Ventilation testing in Solihull
Airflow measurement of extract fans and ventilation systems, recorded for the Building Control completion file.
- MVHR commissioning in Solihull
Setting up and measuring a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system, with commissioning records for handover.
- SAP calculations in Solihull
The energy calculation for new homes and conversions, from design stage figures to the as-built result.
- Home energy model in Solihull
Assessment under the Home Energy Model, the government's planned replacement for SAP.
- U-value calculations in Solihull
Calculated U-values for walls, floors and roofs, set out in a document Building Control can check against the limits.
- Thermal bridging calculations in Solihull
Calculated psi-values for junctions, replacing default values in SAP and SBEM with measured detail.
- Condensation risk analysis in Solihull
Analysis of how moisture moves through a wall, roof or floor build-up, showing whether condensation risk is acceptable.
- Water calculations in Solihull
The water efficiency calculation for new homes, showing estimated daily use per person against the target.
- Background ventilation calculations in Solihull
Calculations that size trickle vents and background ventilation for each room, ready for Building Control.
- Overheating assessments in Solihull
Overheating assessment for new homes, using the simplified method where it applies.
- CIBSE TM59 and TM52 assessments in Solihull
Dynamic thermal modelling of overheating risk, assessed against CIBSE TM59 for homes and TM52 for other buildings.
- Party wall and ceiling design in Solihull
Design review of separating wall constructions between homes, so they are built to pass sound testing.
- Party floor design in Solihull
Design review of separating floor constructions between flats, so they are built to pass sound testing.
- Regulation 25A reports in Solihull
The report on high-efficiency alternative energy systems required for new buildings under Regulation 25A.
Commercial and public buildings
- SBEM calculations in Solihull
The energy calculation for new and altered non-domestic buildings, with the BRUKL output Building Control asks for.
- Display energy certificates in Solihull
Display Energy Certificates showing the actual energy use of public buildings, with the advisory report.
- Smoke shaft and AOV testing in Solihull
Testing of smoke shafts and automatic opening vents to confirm they operate as designed.
- Fire risk assessments in Solihull
A written assessment of fire risk in a building's common or work areas, with the actions needed to reduce it.
- Legionella risk assessments in Solihull
An assessment of a building's water systems that identifies legionella risk and the controls needed.
- Commercial and industrial noise surveys in Solihull
Assessment of sound from commercial and industrial sources under BS 4142.
- Entertainment and night club noise surveys in Solihull
Noise assessment for bars, clubs and venues, and for homes planned near them.
Existing buildings and refurbishment
- Asbestos surveys in Solihull
Surveys that find and record asbestos-containing materials, and explain which survey type a building needs.
- Management asbestos survey in Solihull
A survey of the accessible parts of an occupied building so the dutyholder can manage asbestos during normal use.
- Refurbishment and demolition survey in Solihull
An intrusive survey of the areas affected by planned refurbishment or demolition, carried out before work starts.
- Pre-purchase asbestos survey in Solihull
An asbestos survey arranged before buying a property, so the buyer knows what is present and where.
- Retrofit assessments in Solihull
A whole-house assessment of a home's condition and energy use, used to plan retrofit measures.
- Borescope inspections in Solihull
Camera inspection of cavities and voids through small holes, without opening up the structure.
- EPC in Solihull
Energy Performance Certificates for homes and commercial buildings that are built, sold or let.
Planning applications
- Energy statements in Solihull
Energy statements written for planning applications, setting out how a scheme meets the council's energy policy.
- Sustainability statements in Solihull
Sustainability statements for planning applications, covering the topics the council's policies ask for.
- Acoustic design in Solihull
Acoustic design advice from the early stages of a project, so construction details meet sound requirements.
- Noise surveys in Solihull
Noise impact assessment for planning applications, and the starting point for the specific noise surveys below.
- Environmental noise survey in Solihull
Measurement of existing noise levels at a site, used to inform design and planning submissions.
- Residential noise surveys in Solihull
Noise assessment for new homes, showing that internal and external noise levels will be acceptable.
- Road and rail noise surveys in Solihull
Assessment of road and railway noise affecting a proposed development.
Solihull conservation areas and fabric upgrades
Solihull lists 20 conservation areas across the borough. Its guidance explains that permitted development rights are more restricted and that an Article 4 Direction may remove further rights. Before replacing windows or changing a roof, establish the site’s designation and the permissions needed. A technically suitable energy improvement may still need a different external detail to protect the area’s character.
The council conservation guidance also points owners and developers to the Solihull conservation area appraisal and management plan. Use the relevant heritage information alongside U-value calculations when comparing insulation proposals. Record the existing construction and proposed build-up so changes to thermal performance can be considered with the visible impact, rather than selecting an insulation thickness before checking the building’s constraints.
Solihull building control for alterations
The council’s homeowner building regulations guidance directs enquiries to its building control service. It lists loft conversions, structural alterations, cavity wall insulation and re-roofing more than 25% of the roof among works needing approval. For these Solihull projects, agree the evidence required for the actual scope. SAP calculations or fabric calculations should be commissioned where relevant, not treated as an automatic package for every alteration.
Building compliance questions in Solihull
Which council deals with planning and council building control in Solihull?
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council publishes the planning service routes. Its building regulations guidance gives the council building control contact for homeowner enquiries. Confirm the approval route before starting an extension or conversion.
Does Solihull require a noise report for major residential development?
Yes. Item 26 of the January 2020 Local Validation Criteria includes all major residential developments. It also covers other development that may disturb noise-sensitive uses and identifies mapping and industrial-proximity triggers. Agree the survey and mitigation scope for the site.
Is the 2020 Solihull submission plan the adopted plan?
No. The council planning policy page says it was withdrawn in October 2024. It lists the 2013 Local Plan as part of the adopted development plan and describes the replacement plan as emerging. Separate adopted requirements from emerging proposals in your report.
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